To Have Faith
by NightKat86
Summary: Old story that needed re-vamped! Hopefully won't fall flat this time. RaphxOC Faith is a lonely pickpocket who is rescued and befriended by the turtles. Raphael wishes they could be more than friends, but Faith has a dark past and it's coming to get her. Reviews are always appreciated :-)
1. When it all began

**Chapter 1**

The familiar taste of blood filled Faith's mouth as she staggered to her feet.

Behind her, the six thugs sniggered. She turned to face them, holding her head up defiantly.

"This make you feel like men, huh? Six guys against one girl – that make you feel good, ya bunch of pansies!"

The sniggers stopped. Some of them took out their bats; while the others let their chains jingle threateningly.

She was going to pay for that comment.

One of them approached her and Faith smiled.

"Sucker!"

As he swung his bat, she dove, and swinging back, placed a well aimed kick at the back of his knee. He fell with a cry and there was a jeer of outrage.

"I may be small, but I'm fucking fierce, ya dig?"

Unfortunately, they did.

They attacked her together again. This time, no matter how hard she tried, Faith couldn't fight them off. They came at her from all sides, and Faith screamed out in pain and anger.

Finally, she was shoved back, and her head cracked against the brick wall.

She felt dizzy; blood dripped down the back of her neck. Her knees gave away and she slipped down to the ground. Her attackers towered over her victorious.

"Let this be a lesson to ya," one of them spat, "NEVER bad mouth the Purple Dragons!"

Suddenly, there was a shout. Newcomers had arrived.

The Purple Dragons spun round to face them. This was Faith's chance. But she couldn't move; she felt nauseous and her body felt heavier than lead.

She was helpless.

Her vision was getting blurry, but she could just make out the newcomers: four of them, confronting the purple dragons.

She reached out to them as darkness took over.

"Help me, please…"

_Am I dead?_

Everything was dark, and muffled.

_If I am, it's a major disappointment._

She tired to move, and was greeted with a stabbing pain in her head.

_Shit, being dead is fucking painful!_

She could hear voices, as through far away, but coming closer.

Faith opened her eyes, and immediately her head started to ache.

_Nope_, she thought, slamming her eyes shut again. _Definitely not dead._

The voices were louder now and she could hear what they were saying.

"We should've taken her to the hospital!"

"There wasn't any time – Donny said she needed treatment immediately.

"It's been a day and a half now, and she's still not woken up."

"What are we gonna do?"

"Don, how long till she wakes up?"

"For the gazilleanth time, Leo, I have no idea."

"What if she's dying?"

"I hope not, she's too cute to die."

Faith groaned and tried to move again.

"Hey guys! She's waking up!"

The voices hushed, and there was the sound of running. Faith sensed she was being watched, but it was too painful to move again, and she was afraid to open her eyes in case her head ached again.

"Hey, you alright?" one of the voices asked, "Groan once for yes."

There was the sound of a slap.

"Ow!"

"Shut up, Mikey!"

Faith coughed. "Argh! Don't make me smile – it hurts."

"She can talk!"

There were sighs of relief all around her.

"Quick, Leo, get a cold compress – Mikey, make some tea – Raph, get painkillers, and one of you get Splinter!"

Faith felt someone gently prop her up and check her vitals.

"My head hurts," she moaned.

"I know, you got hit pretty hard. Don't worry; the painkillers will sort that out. I couldn't give them to you until I was sure you were out of danger."

There were a few minutes of bustle as several hands helped Faith with eating, drinking and taking the painkillers. She gratefully accepted the cold compress, and with its help, felt able to open her eyes.

"Thanks so much," she said, as she tentatively opened them. "I'm sorry to have caused…you…"

It took a moment for the image to sink in. standing in front of her, were four, giant turtles, each wearing a coloured bandana.

As she gaped at them, the one with the orange bandana leant down.

"Please, try and not freak out," he said slowly, "take – deep – breaths – try – to – stay –"

"HOLY FUCKING FUDGE CAKES!"

Despite her injuries, Faith jumped up so fast she tipped the couch she had been lying on. Scrambling on all fours, she backed away from the creatures.

"So much for not freaking her out," the blue bandana turtles said wearily.

Faith looked about the place in horror.

"Where am I? What is this, some kind of religious cult? Shit, are you guys trying to sacrifice me?"

"That's a new one," the purple turtle chuckled.

"We're not gonna sacrifice ya," the red turtle said, "we're not gonna do anything to ya – we're just trying to help."

He took a step towards her, but Faith cringed back.

"What – what are you? I mean, how – where?"

"That will all take some time to explain."

This was a new voice; a soft elderly voice. The turtles stepped aside, and revealed a giant, walking rat!

"Jesus fucking sweet pea!"

The orange turtle laughed. "I like her, she's random – like me!"

"There is no need to be afraid of us, child," the rat said gently, "I will explain everything to you, but perhaps you would be more comfortable, sitting on a chair."

Faith considered, watching them warily. When her eyes tell on the red turtle again, he held out his hand to her, while the others beckoned her to join them.

"Okay…" she said, grasping the three fingered hand, "but, if you're lying, and you eat me, I'll make sure I stick in your throats."  
"Understood," the turtle grunted.

The rat chuckled and the other turtles smiled, albeit rather nervously. Faith got the impression they were as unsure of her as she was of them.

The red turtle helped her up and led her to the chair. His skin was scaly; it felt like human skin, but…more rubbery. It was proof to Faith that they definitely were not wearing costumes.

When she was in the chair, they all backed away, apparently eager not to alarm her.

The rat sat at the other side of the table, and the turtles stood behind him.

"Now," he began, "sixteen years ago…"

Faith was fascinated, and listened to the story intently. Gradually, the tension subsided. Getting over the initial shock of their appearance, they weren't really that scary looking. The looked kind: genuinely kind.

Her instincts concluded that she was sage with them, and she started to relax. She even accepted a fresh cup of tea from the purple turtle, and didn't flinch when he ventured to sit next to her.

"And so, from an old renaissance book," the rat, Splinter, finished, "I named them: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo."

Faith smiled, nodding to each of them and laughing when Michelangelo bowed like a gentleman.

"This is undoubtedly, the coolest thing ever!" she said.

"I'm with you sis," Mikey agreed.

"So, was it you guys that saved me from the Purple Dragons?"

"Yeah, but please, don't thank us," Mickey gushed, "we're ninjas, it's what we do – Ow!"

"Mickey, its best you don't talk," said Raphael, "you'll freak her out again."

"Why were the Purple Dragons after you?" Leonardo asked over the ruckus.

"I bad mouthed them to the other street kids," Faith replied, "convinced some of them not to join."

"You like on the streets?" Donatello asked.

Faith nodded.

"For how long?"

"As long as I can remember. I used to live in Chicago, but…well…let's just say I thought I'd have better prospects in New York. Been here for the last three years."

"You must have suffered a hard life, child," Splinter remarked.

"And then some."

"Do you have no family? No friends?" he asked.

"Nope, no family – definitely no friends."

"That's not true!" Mikey declared, "You've got us now."

Faith smiled gratefully.

"Indeed," Splinter nodded, "my sons, how about we organise some food for our new friend."

"On it!"

Three of the turtles scrambled to oblige, while Splinter wandered off, out of the way of the ensuing chaos. Only Raphael remained, and he sat nervously beside Faith.

"I – um – forgot to thank you guys for saving me," she said to him nervously. Faith was very small and slight, and even sitting Raphael seemed to tower over her. He was different from his brothers; fiercer, more dangerous, and his voice was gruff and had a tone of sarcasm to it. However, he looked embarrassed when Faith thanked him.

"Hey, no worries. Like Mikey said, it's what we do."

There was another awkward silence.

"So – um…"

Faith looked at him curiously.

"You got a name, or what?"

She smiled. "Faith."

"Nice to meet ya, Faith."

They shook hands. This was where it began!


	2. Enter Veda

**Chapter 2**

In the dark, smoky underbelly of Chicago's crime syndicate, three men were anxiously awaiting to report to their boss.

Eventually, they were summoned, and led into a dark, candlelit room with wooden floors.

Harnesses, and chains, and various other instruments of torture decorated the cracked stone walls; all of the rusty and caked with blood.

In the centre of the room, was a lounger, bearing a large, man. His finely muscled torso and silk trousers were speckled with blood. He had his head thrown back, and he was panting heavily.

The three men halted, none of them daring to speak.

"News!" the man demanded.

"No sightings in the north of the city, sir."

"None in the east or west, sir."

"We have people on watch at the airport and major train stations. No sign, sir."

The man in the lounger gave a loud, irritated sigh that made all three men flinch.

"It's been six years," he said softly, "six long years! Where is she hiding?"

"V-Veda," one of the men ventured, "it's possible that she left Chicago years ago. We would've found her long ago if she were still in the city."

"Then, extend the search," Veda replied lazily. "Use our contact in the other major cities."

"That'll be difficult, Veda. We send people out, it'll stretch out forces here, and resources are already thin –"

The man was silenced by the motion of Veda's finger.

"Find her," he said in a high, sing song voice. "I don't care hoe long it takes, or how many people you use. No one, abandons Veda, understand?"

He finally raised his head to look at them. Dirty blond locks fell about his shoulders, and emerald eyes flashed from behind his beautiful, porcelain mask.

"I shall get angry," he said softly, "if you don't find her soon."

The three men nodded anxiously, and with promises of success, they backed out the room.

"Take that with you," Veda said, settling back in the lounger. "I'm done with it now."

He motioned to a lump in the corner of the room: a naked woman, barely alive, the skin all over her body savagely flailed.

The men obeyed and took her away. They shut to door behind them, leaving Veda alone in his dark hole.

He hummed a little tune to himself and sighed.

"Where are you, little Faith?" he sang softly. "Where are you?"


	3. Movie Night

**Chapter 3**

It was Friday night; and that mean, movie night at the lair.

Faith chuckled as she arrived to find the usual chaos associated with movie night.

Donatello was still in his lab, blow torching…something; Leonardo was in the kitchen getting the food organised, and Michelangelo and Raphael were arguing over what movie they were going to watch.

"Mikey, we are NOT watching the Avengers AGAIN! A know the script by heart, we've seen it so many times!"

"But it's epic – superheroes uniting to battle against evil! And there's no kissy stuff in it, which you hate."

"We're not watching it!" Raphael lunged for the DVD.

"Have to catch me!"

"Come here, goofball!"

The two brothers proceeded to run about the room, Mikey squealing like a girl, while Raph looked ready to explode.

Faith decided to head for the kitchen.

"Hey, Leo!"

"Faith, how's it goin?"

"Not bad, thanks." Faith looked at the massive spread of food on the table. "Are we feeding the army?"

Leo laughed. "We have Mikey, remember? I reckoned, after the destruction that occurred last week, it was better to be safe than sorry."

"Oh jeez, yeah," Faith cringed at the memory. "Good call. You want a hand bringing the stuff in?"

"Nah, I can manage. Why don't you help decide what we're gonna watch?"

"Thanks, dude, land me with the difficult job," Faith said with a smile.

"C'mon, you're good at calming Raph down, and Mikey'll watch whatever movie you say."

"Fine. Any preferences?" she asked, pausing at the doorway.

"Just, not the Avengers again," Leo replied, "oh, and not Star Wars – before your time, but there was carnage that night."

"Why, what –"

"Don't ask!"

"Oookay…"

Faith returned to the living room. The battling turtles were still running round in circles, and not for the first time, did Faith wonder, if they were left to it, how long they would go on.

She passed Don's lab on the way to them.

"S'up, Faith!" he said without looking up.

"Hey, Don. Movie's coming on in five."

"Righto!"

Still holding his gadget and screwdriver, he flipped himself very impressively onto the couch facing the televisions, and resumed tinkering.

"One turtle down," Faith muttered. She took position her position, leaning casually against a pillar and checking her nails.

Neither Mikey nor Raph had even noticed her yet, as they ran in her direction.

Letting Mikey pass, Faith stuck out her foot, sending Raph flying in the air. He scraped across the floor with a bang and groaned.

"What the shell…"

He looked up to find Faith standing over him, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Hey tough guy, enjoy your trip?"

"Yay, Faith's here!"

Mikey turned round and ran back to them. "Just in time, me and Raph can't agree on what to watch."

"What a shocker."

She looked down at Raphael, who was still lying on the floor.

"You alright down there?"

"Apart from you nearly killin' me with your big banana feet," he retorted, "am good."

"Now, Boo Boo, don't be cross," Faith said, helping him up, "I want a nice quiet night, just watchin' a movie, and chillin' with ma boys, okay?"

"Fine." Raph huffed, but he was smiling. Having Faith here now, seemed to have chilled his temper, and improved his mood considerably.

"Faith, I wanna watch Avengers again," Mikey whined, giving her puppy dog eyes. "Pwease?"

"Sorry Mike, I'd rather watch something different tonight, so does Leo. You know how this works; majority rules."

"How about we try inception again?" Donatello chirped from the couch.

"No way," Raph said firmly, "I don't care how many awards it got, that movie's wack! I ain't watchin' it."

"How about Star Wars?" Mickey suggested.

"SHELL NO!" erupted from the kitchen.

Faith laughed. "Calm down Leo, we're not gonna watch Star Wars. Look guys, I brought some movies I got today. How about we watch one of them?"

"What did you bring?"

Faith brought the dvds out for them to see. "I got Argo, the Hobbit, and Wallace and Gromit, curse of the Wer-Rabbit."

"Random," Raph laughed.

"Well, I'm a random kinda gal," Faith replied, "I'd prefer the Hobbit, since I didn't get to see it at the pics, but I'm okay with whatever."

The turtles went into debate. Mikey wanted Wallace and Gromit, Don wanted Argo; Leo wanted the Hobbit, but Raph, Faith could tell, was trying to be difficult to wind her up.

"I'm not fancying any of them," he said with a smirk.

"Raph, if you don't pick, I'll make you watch Mamma Mia again, and I'll sing and dance like I did last time too."

"Dude, you watched Mamma Mia?!"

Mikey was rolling on the floor laughing. "How did that happen?"

"Lost a bet," Raph growled, "fine, go with the Hobbit, since you made me read the book a month ago."

"It's a good book," Faith said, leading the way to the couch," you said so yourself."

"Was alright. It was a bit too…kiddy."

"Well duh! It's a kid's book. The movie'll be better, though, like Lord of the Rings."

"Actually, reviews of the Hobbit have been mixed," said Don, finally putting his gadget away. "Some felt that because –"

"Bro, no offence, "said Leo, bringing out the last of the food, "but can we please go through one movie night without hearing its reviews?"

Don sighed and helped himself to some chips.

Just then, the entrance door opened, and April and Casey came in.

"Hey guys!"

"Thought you two were goin out for dinner?" Faith asked.

"We are, just thought we'd stop by on the way, and see how things were," April replied, "wow, movie night's starting early. Normally you're all still fighting over what to watch."

"Managed to get a quick resolution," Faith said proudly, "thanks to my powers of persuasion. Hey, master Splinter, you okay with the Hobbit?"

The wise old rat had appeared from his room.

"Excellent," he replied, "I am in the mood for a good Tolkien adventure."

He made his way to the couch, sitting beside Don and Leo, ticked into the cheese platter his eyes had been fixed on.

Mikey had made his base on the floor, within quick reach of the food, and ensuring he had the remote control. Raphael donned the large armchair.

Everyone was ready and waiting.

"Well, have fun guys!" Casey called, "c'mon April, we're gonna be late."

"Okay, Faith, don't be late tonight. Remember we're goin shopping early, tomorrow."

"No worries, April."

The couple left and Faith put on the DVD.

"Why do you need to go shopping early?" Leo asked.

"April's havin that party tomorrow, remember? You guys'll probably get roped in to help get the place ready."

"So, you're shopping for party stuff?"

"No, clothes. April says she's gonna treat me."

"That is very kind of her," Splinter remarked.

"Yeah, wish she wouldn't though," Faith said, "I already owe her so much; letting me live with her and giving me a job at the Antique's store."

"Shhh, guys," Mikey hissed, "I wanna see this."

It was a trailer for a new war game coming out.

Faith went over to Raphael.

"Move over a bit, tough guy."

"Why don't you sit on the couch?"

"'Cause, if it gets scary, I wanna be able to hide behind your shell."

"You can do that with the others."

"No, I can't."

"Why?"

"'Cause, if I get sleepy, I wanna use your shoulder as a pillow."

"Why can't you do that with one of the others?"

"'Cause, see Don starts talking about the special effects and I miss the movie. Mikey squeezes the life out of me when he gets scared, and Splinter, well, that speaks for itself."

"And Leo?"

"His shoulder isn't as comfy as yours. It's all bony, and – not squidgy, whereas yours –"

"Is just squidgy enough?"

Faith beamed at him. "Exactly."

Raphael sighed. "Alright, crazy girl, squeeze in."

Faith kicked off her shoes and settled down beside him.

"You know, we do this every week," she said softly, "you should know the routine by now."

Raphael leant over the table and got them a bowl of popcorn to share.

"Shut up and watch the movie."

He smiled as Faith made herself more comfortable by putting his arm round her.

He knew what the routine was; he just liked to be reminded, that he was the only guy she wanted to sit with.


End file.
